Missing People Website

Identification

A person who is unidentified, whether alive or deceased, is often also a missing person. Until the name of that person has been established, their family and friends will not know what has happened to them. In cases where the police suspect foul play and the victim's identity is unknown, it is very hard for the enquiry to move forward until the victim has a name.

Missing People works directly with the police, coroners and other organisations, such as hospitals and social services, to aid the identification of such individuals. Most importantly, the team is able to search against their extensive national database of missing people and provide forensic art services to help with publicity of these cases.

Professional help

If your work is with the Police, Coroner's Office or as a Health Practitioner or in Social Services and you are trying to identify an unknown individual, Missing People may be able to help you.

Unidentified case publicity

Publicity offered by Missing People includes media releases, posters and website appeals. Unidentified cases held by Missing People are listed on this website in agreement with police or coroners' offices. Please be aware the content of these pages may be upsetting to some viewers. If you recognise, or have any information regarding, any of the unidentified cases listed, please contact Missing People at identification@missingpeople.org.uk or use Freefone 0500 700 700.

"We see this enhanced feature of the website as potentially invaluable in helping more people round the world to access the information. The importance of enabling families to reach closure cannot be over emphasised". Coroner's Officers, East Sussex

DNA

DNA is regularly used to determine and confirm the identity of an individual if there is a profile available for comparison. Ideally the individual's own DNA should be used to cross check an identity, however, in cases where this is not possible familial DNA, such as that of both parents, can be used in a DNA comparison.

Although in some missing persons cases a DNA profile is held on a database in the UK, to date the system has yet to be officially recognised. Missing People are working with the police and other organisations to promote the use of a national Missing Persons DNA Database which aims to include the registration of DNA from all unidentified persons in order to establish their identities.

For questions regarding DNA please contact Missing People at identification@missingpeople.org.uk

Staff profile

Missing People's Head of Identification has a background in anatomy and forensic anthropology and additional specific forensic art training includes: Facial Identification (Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) accredited) and Forensic Facial Imaging techniques at both the FBI Academy and at the National Centre for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) in America.

Missing People, 284 Upper Richmond Road West, London SW14 7JE

Tel: 020 8392 4509
Fax: 020 8878 7752
identification@missingpeople.org.uk